1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire and/or pipe-laying structure for a fuel cell vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to a wire and/or pipe-laying structure for a fuel cell vehicle capable of protecting a fuel pipe which connects a fuel cell box in which fuel cells are accommodated to a fuel cell tank in which fuel supplied to the fuel cells for generating power is stored, and/or protecting a high-voltage wiring which connects a storage battery, such as a capacitor, to a fuel cell box.
2. Description of Related Art
Among various types of vehicles, a fuel cell vehicle is known in which power is generated by reacting hydrogen, which is a fuel gas, with oxygen, which is an oxidant, and the power is utilized to drive a motor for running the vehicle.
In such a fuel cell vehicle, hydrogen, which is a fuel gas, is filled in a fuel tank, and is supplied to the fuel cell together with oxygen which is taken from the atmospheric air. Accordingly, it is necessary to connect the fuel tank for hydrogen to the fuel cell by using a fuel pipe.
Also, various proposals have been made for a fuel cell vehicle, for example, to provide a storage battery, such as a capacitor, and store power during a regenerative operation or assist the output of the fuel cell using the storage battery. In such cases, it is necessary to connect the high-voltage wiring from the storage battery to the fuel cell box.
On the other hand, various safety measures have been designed for a fuel cell vehicle, and for example, in Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, No. Hei 8-192639, a structure is disclosed in which the fuel cell itself crumples when the vehicle collides head-on.
However, in order to provide safety measures for collision for the fuel pipe and high-voltage wiring, it is necessary, for example, like for the above-mentioned fuel cell, to provide a protector for the fuel pipe and high-voltage wiring or to increase the strength and rigidity of a panel around the protector. Accordingly, it is inevitable that the weight of the vehicle is increased.